Centrifugal separator



Dec. 8 1925' 41.564.665

L.. G. GATES CENTRIFUGAL sEPAnAToR Filed July 16. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l f/f l.. 152i- 28) 'm 6 4f z .f- "I 2.5 g muni num L i l l I 7m Z3 la] 2; Z3 N27 25! a 15 l 15! i l 2 22 i l 22 17 I 3 7 f -1. i zs l 7 o l i l J8 v R] Il i 4 Z0 i mil Z0 i INVENTOR.

a ffm ATTORNEYS.

L. G. GATES CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATOR Deen 8 I Filed July 16. 1923 2 Sheets-Shed 2 INVENTOR. gdr;

A TTORNEYS.

w., En(

l'fatented 8, i925.

TES

LEROY G. GATES, OF BAKERSFIEDD, CALIFORNIA.

GENTE/1175116.41111 SEBARATOR.

application` filedv July 16,

T 0 all whomc'z may concern Be it lrnownthat l, linnoY G.v GAfrns, a citizen ofy the United States, residing at Bakersfield, yin the countyof Kern and State ofCalifornia, have invented` certain new and useful lmprovenients in Centrifugal Separators, of which the following is a specificafilon.'

My invention relatcs to centrifugal separators especially adapted for separatingsand andother heavy particles from.1nud laden fluids, shines, or the like.

rlfheobject of` my.v invention is to provide a machine of. the described? type which, is simple in construction and effective and efhcient in operation. A machineembodying the principles of my, invention.iswell adapt ed. for removing the sand and heavy particles from the mud fluid used in well drill'- ing, where the cleaned mudl fluid is circulatedfthroughthe well` andusedfas a vehicle to carry oft the cuttings of the drill bit. My invention, is not restricted to such use, however, but may be employed to advantagefor other separation processes. lt is to be understood, moreover, that the form and construction of the machine embodyingrmy invention may be varied considerably from that herein described and illustrated, without departing from the spirit of the invention as expressed in the claims hereto appended.

With this iirview a. preferredembodiment of my invention will now be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a central vertical section of my centrifugal separator.

Figs. 2 and 3 arel sectional' plan views taken on the lines 2--2- and 3 3 of Fig. 1, respectively.

ln the drawings, the reference numeral 1 designates a central vertical hollow shaft, preferably formed in two parts joined together permanently by a suitable bushing 2. A diaphragm or partition 3 separates the in terior of the upper portion from that of the lower. The hollow shaft 1 is suitably journaled for rotation in radial bearings lV and anend thrust bearing 5, which are mounted in a stationary frame, certain` members of which are shown at 6. An enclosed shell 7, forming the separating chamber, is fixed upon and supported by the hollow shaft 1, and the whole .is caused to revolve aboutthe axis of said shaft byY a bevel gear. 8 which 1923. Serial No. 651,757;

meshes. with and. is driven by a pinion, 9, the. latter being'xedl upon ai sha-.ft 1Q to which power may be applied fromany suit,- able source not showniii the drawings.`

'lhe hollow shaft 1 carries a. hopper 11 at its upper end, into whichthe material to be separated may. be-introducedxas by means of a pipe 12. Fixedfinsaid hollow shaft .below saidhopper is aspiralbalfle 13,.which,is steep at its upper end, and'fiattens out at Aits lower end into a planek lying alongv the axis of the shaft 1. This baffle 13 is for. the purpose of imparting rotary motion to the fluid entering the hollow shaft 1` without interfering with. its downward motion through said shaft. Discharge apertures l/l are-provided insaid shaft, through which the fuid passes out intothe space betweentwo conical members 15 and lrespectively, both being fixed uponsaidshaftand, therefore, rotating with it. ldadially4 disposed, vanes or; baflies 1.7 extendacross said space betweentheconical members 15 and 1,6,.thereby causing the fluid, when it is discharged from saidaspace, to have a rotary motion of the same speed as that of the entire chamber.

Thelower conical member lthas its wall extended downwardly to the bottom of the shell 7and said wall'is provided with apertures 18 in its lowerl portionthrough which the cleaned or sandffree mud fluid may enter the interior of said member 16. Said fluid then passes into the lower section of the hollow shaft 1 through apertures 19, andtthence passes out, downwardly, through said shaft section. rlhelower section of said shaft 1 is preferably, provided with a vertically movable interior.` sleeve 20, by which the height of the discharge apertures 19 may be controlled. Suitable means,y not shown, may be provided for operating said sleeve. A spiral bathe 2l is mounted, withinthelower section of the hollow shaft 1,.sai,d baffle having a steep lower portion and. its upper portion flattened into., a.r plane lying along the axis of the shaft, so that the rotary motion of the fluid. within said shaft is gradually arrested, regaining some of the power consumed-whenthe rotating motion of the Huid was firstr imparted; to it.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings, thel feathered arrowsv indicate. the, path of travel' of the sand or heavyI particlescarried by. the fluid, and the plain arrows` indicate the: path of thecleanmud. It should be noted that the fluid. is projected intos the separating chain' ber at a point considerably distant from the axis of rotation, so that said liuid at once enters a zone of strong centrifugal force, and separation is therefore rapid and effective. It should also be noted that rotation is imparted to the Huid before it enters the separating chamber', so that the unfavorable effects of eddies and churning are minimized. 'When the shell i is in motion, the level of the fluid therewithin may be represented by the curved line eff-a, this level being controlled, at the center, to a, certain extent by the vertical position of the sleeve 20. The centrifugal force, acting on the fluid as it leaves the space between the conical members l5 and 16, causes the sand and heavier particles to travel toward the outside of the shell i", leaving the sand-free mud to pass through the apertures i8 into the interior of the lower conical niember lo, and thence out through the apertures 19 and the central hollow shaft l.

The shell 7 carries, at its opposite sides, shafts 22, suitably jeurnaled for rotation at 23, and each provided with a helical elevator 2d. rlhe shafts 22 are rotated, at a relativelyv slow speed, by suitable gearing Q5 mounted upon the top of the shell 7, said gearing receiving its motion, as the shell revolves, from a lined pinion 2G carried by the frame 6. rlhus as the shell 'i' revolves rapidly about the axis of the shaft l, the helical elevators 2st are also rotated, at a much slower speed, within said shell, and said elevators lift the sand, which has been paci-:ed more or less densely about them, to the level of the discharge apertures 27, through which it is ejected by centrifugal force. This gearing' 25 may, if desired, be provided with a protecting cover plate shown at 28 in Fig. l.

lt should be understood that the form and arrangement of the sand elevators 24cand their drive mechanism is not limited to the showing herein made. For example, more than two such elevators may be employed, or some well known type of elevator' other than the helical ribbon herein shown may be used, but as such variations would readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, no attempt has been made to illustrate them, the form herein shown and described being regarded as suiiiciently expressive of the principles of the invention.

lt is, however, of importance that the movement of the heavier portions of the material set up by the elevators or conveyors shall not be opposed by the action of centrifugal force, in order to prevent the packing of such material about said conveyors, thereby reducing their effectiveness.` F or this reason, l prefer, in the form of machine shown, to position the elevators with their shafts 22 parallel to the airis of rotation of the` shell 7, so that the movement Leccese of the heavier material is vertical, and therefore at right angles to the direction of centrifugal force.

I claim:

l. A centrifugal separator comprising a rotatable shell, a central hollow shaft through which the material to be separated is introduced into said shell; a spirally formed baille within said shaft for imparting initial rotary motion to the material.

said baffle having a relatively steep initial portion, and a relatively flat final portion; and means for separately removing from said shell the component parts of said material according to their respective densities.

ri centrifugal separator comprising a rotatable shell; a central hollow shaftthrough which the material to be separated is introduced into said shell; a spirally formed balile within said shaft for imparting initial rotary motion to the material, said baille having a relatively steep initial portion and a final portion parallel to the axis of said shaft, and means for separately removing from said shell the component parts of said material according to their respective densities.

3. A centrifugal separator comprising a rotatable shell adapted to receive the material to be separated; a central hollow shaft for removing a `separated portion of said material; and a spiral baffle within said shaft for arresting the rotary motion of said separated material.

4. A centrifugal separator comprising a rotatable shell adapted to receive the material to be separated; means for removing a separated portion of said material from the central region of said shell; and means `for arresting the rotary motion of said separated material during its removal from said shell.

5. A centrifugal separator comprising a rotatable shell adapted to receive the mai terial to be separated; means for imparting rotary motion to the material prior to its introduction into said shell; ine-ans for removing a separated portion of the material from the central region of said shell; and means for arresting the rotary motion of .said separated material during its removal from the shell.

6. A centrifugal separator comprising a rotatable shell adapted to receive the material to be separated; a central hollow shaft about which said shell is mounted, said shaft having an aperture through which a separated portion of said material may be discharged, and a sleeve associated with said shaft and movable from the exterior of said shell for controlling said aperture and the discharge of the separated material therethrough.

7. A centrifugal separator comprising a lll) lli

rotatable shell adapted to receive the material to be separated; a central hollow shaft upon which said shell is carried, said shaft having an aperture through Which a separated portion of said material may be discharged; and a sleeve movably associated within said shaft for controlling the aperture thereof.

8. A centrifugal separator comprising a rotatable shell adapted to receive the ma` terial to be separated; a central hollow shaft upon which said shell is carried7 and through which a separated portion of said material may be discharged; and means Within said shaft for arresting the rotary motion of said material during its discharge.

9. A centrifugal separator comprising a rotatable shell; a central hollow shaft upon which said shell is carried; means for introducing the material to be separated into said shell through a portion of said shaft; means Within said shaft portion for initially imparting rotary motion to said material; means for removing a separated portion of the material from said 4shell through a second portion of said shaft; and means Within said second shaft portion for arresting the rotary motion of said material during its discharge.

10. A centrifugal separator comprising a shell adapted `for rotation about a vertical axis; a pair of spaced conical members positioned co-axially Within said shell and adapted to rotate therewith; means for feeding the material to be separated into said shell through the space between said members; and means for discharging a separated portion of said material from the central region of said shell beneath the lower conical member.

ll. A centrifugal separator comprising a rotatable shell adapted to receive the material to be separated; means for discharging the lighter portions of said material from the central region of said shell; and a conveyer for forcibly removing the heavier portions of said material from the peripheral region of said shell in a direction not opposed to the action of centrifugal force, said conveyer being remote from the axis of the shell and adapted to prevent the packing of said material against the peripheral shell Wall.

12. A centrifugal separator comprising a rotatable shell adapted to receive the material to be separated; means for discharging the lighter portions of said material from the central region of said shell; and a conveyer positioned in the peripheral region of said shell remote from the axis thereof, for agitatmg and forcibly removing the heavier portions of said material therefrom in a direction not opposed to the action of centrifugal force.

13. A centrifugal separator comprising a rotatable shell adapted to receive the material to be separated; means for discl1arging the lighterl portions of said material `from the central region of said shell; and a helical conveyer for removing the heavier portions of said material from the peripheral region of said shell, said conveyor having its axis parallel to and remote from the axis of said shell.

14. A centrifugal separator comprising a shell adapted to receive the material to be separated, said shell being rotatable about a vertical axis and provided with a discharge aperture in the Lipper region of its peripheral wall; and means for forcibly elevating the heavier portions of said material in the peripheral region of said shell, in a direction not opposed to the action of centrifugal force, to the level of said discharge aperture.

15. A centrifugal separator comprising a shell adapted to receive the material to be separated, said shell being rotatable about a vertical axis and provided with a discharge aperture in the upper region of its peripheral Wall; and conveying means for vertically elevating the heavier portions of said material in the peripheral region of said shell to the level of said discharge aperture.

16. A centrifugal separator comprising a shell adapted to receive the material to be separated, said shell being rotatable about a vertical axis and provided with a discharge aperture in the upper region of its peripheral Wall; and a helical conveyor rotatable about a vertical axis positioned in the peripheral region of said shell for elevating the heavier portions of said material to the level of said discharge aperture.

In testimony whereof 1 have signed my name to this specification.

LEROY G. GATES. 

